PS Vita and PS3 cross-play 'easily' rival Wii U, Sony says

All that Sony kit costs hundreds more than Nintendo's package

Sony says almost all PlayStation Vita owners also have PlayStation 3s, a combination it claims gives the Wii U a run for its money. Sony Computer Entertainment America VP of marketing, handhelds and home consoles John Koller told Engadget that Sony encourages players to make the comparison between what Wii U will proffer in November and what many already have in their hands and entertainment centers.

"We tell our PlayStation fans all the time that what the Wii U is offering is something that Vita and PS3 can do quite easily," Koller said. A linked Vita and PS3 game, as demonstrated with LittleBigPlanet 2's upcoming cross-play functionality, offers a similar controller and touch experience with the added benefit of the Vita's external processing power. The Wii U's GamePad, on the other hand, streams its data from the console itself.

Koller gave no specific figures on PS3/Vita cross over, but those who don't own either Sony system would need to pony up for a markedly higher price point than the Wii U. The new model of PlayStation 3 and a Vita together would cost at least $520 at their current prices ($270 and $250, respectively), whereas the Wii U bundled with a GamePad starts at $300.

Koller said Sony has no immediate plans to bundle its home and portable consoles together as a single-package Wii U competitor, though it will consider doing so in the future as "retail asks for it all the time."